Snowboard Kids kicks off a delightful kawaii formula. Six child riders, eight slopes loaded with items and traps, a festive mood and a charming presentation. The riding feel is more arcade than serious, but the four-player multiplayer fires on all cylinders. A genuinely endearing little phenomenon.
Your verdict
Category
Sports1 player3+
Split screen
Description
Colorful snowboarding game with kids on snowy slopes filled with items and traps. Published by Atlus, released in Japan in 1997 and in Europe and North America in 1998. Six child characters, eight themed snowboard courses, offensive and defensive items, and up-to-4-player versus mode.
Snobo Kids review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Bombing down zany slopes while lobbing items in a wild race: this snowboarder crossed with Mario Kart strikes a clever balance of speed and dirty tricks right away. The colourful characters and good-natured vibe hit the mark, especially with several players. Cute, snappy and joyfully chaotic, a little arcade-riding gem to share.
Original Atlus and Racdym Japanese December 1997 edition under the local Snobo Kids title, the Japanese equivalent of Snowboard Kids. The Japanese cartridge precedes the Western release and keeps the original Japanese voices of the five child characters, more expressive than the later English voices. Its rarity rests on a short Japanese run and on the title's cult status as a kawaii alternative to Mario Kart on N64. A precise target for import-minded Atlus enthusiasts.
An underrated gem
Far cleverer than its childish wrapper suggests, this snowboard game mixes wild races, disruptive items and endearing characters, like a Mario Kart on snow. Quiet outside Japan, it built a small reputation among insiders. Ideal in multiplayer, it offers an instant fun that party-game fans will appreciate.
Is Snobo Kids still worth playing in 2026?
Snowboard Kids opens a surprisingly successful kawaii formula. Six child riders, eight tracks packed with items and traps, festive atmosphere and charming presentation build a snow-karting game in its own right. The feel is more arcade than serious, closer to a snowy Mario Kart than to 1080, but the four-player multiplayer runs at full tilt and the longevity holds. For fans of whimsical retro racing and evenings with friends, the cart still feels endearing to bring out today.
